Pregnant and trying to hide it at work......

[Chottie]

Stylistas, please can you advise.... A friend for various reasons does not want work to know she is pregnant just yet. Your best tips please

Obviously depends how far along she is, and the usual dress-code of the place of work, but I reckon some of these (alternatives - not all at the same time!)

unstructured or empire-line dresses;
dark background with medium-sized all-over pattern;
v-neck with big chunky necklace;
dark top, big bright scarf wound once around neck with the two "tails" hanging in front;
jacket open.

Looking forward to seeing others' ideas.

Swing tops and shell blouses are good for this!

I lived in sack-like dresses and managed to just about pull of hiding a considerable bump until about 15 weeks. Dresses were miles easier than trousers and tops for me, I found even floaty tops would catch against me at an angle and suddenly risk giving the game away. Hiding pregnancy in the first trimester is so rubbish!

I wore fitted tea dresses with loose (but not huge) cardigans on top, got to 19 weeks before it was so warm I took my cardie off and heard my sixth formers gasp in shock at my bump

I lasted until 21 weeks without telling people - I wore swing style tops and dresses. TBH, I think it was obvious but no one said anything and I was pleased not to have the endless questions about boy/girl, names etc for the full duration.

I was 5 and a half months when I told work. Am quite fat anyway so just wore a jumper over the top of my shirt

I found silky, boxy shell tops in dark colours over fitted trousers with an open jacket the best thing. I think it depends on your shape to start with and what you normally wear though.

First pregnancy I was very skinny beforehand and wore skirt suits or trouser suits with fitted stretchy tops. If I'd suddenly started wearing swing tops or baggy dresses, it would have been very obvious.

Second pregnancy, I was wearing leggings/tunic or dress/boots to work, so just carried on with that in bigger sizes.

Now I'm fat and I like empire line tops and wrap dresses, so I reckon I could hide a pregnancy for most of the nine months.

Thanks everyone - some great ideas here